Valve denies the recent rumor that they are on the verge of unveiling some sort of Steam console, as Doug Lombardi tells Kotaku that while they are working on "Big Picture Mode UI" and other enhancements, this is "a long way from Valve shipping any sort of hardware," and that while he was not ruling out the possibility Valve would someday produce hardware, he "thinks that's accurate" when asked if we should not expect an announcement at GDC or E3.

Dev wrote on Mar 9, 2012, 05:03:...However, I also expect in my lifetime to have computer chips implantable in the skull so as to get direct brain to electronic information access....

Eh, I used to hope that would come out in my lifetime. Then I read The Diamond Age and oddly enough I hadn't really considered the down-side.

A scene in the book had one of the characters defending why he used HUD goggles instead of the "better" implants. He described a guy he knew that had the neural thing implanted just like a lot of the population.

But someone hacked the implant, so he was always seeing something stupid (I think Cat Food ads) no matter what. Even when he closed his eyes. Eventually it drove him insane and he killed himself.

That made me re-think the whole implanted interface/hud/etc thing. There are just enough jerks out there that think a virus or hack that did that would be funny or cool that I think I'll pass on all of that.

Honestly, something stupid like that would be a bigger fear for me than potential for mind control or potential for lethal attacks.

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This comment was edited on Mar 9, 2012, 11:15.

"Space. It seems to go on and on forever. But then you get to the end and a gorilla starts throwing barrels at you." -Fry, Futurama

Mashiki Amiketo wrote on Mar 8, 2012, 21:57:That's okay, by the time they release this...we'll be using quantum computers and optronic hardware wired in by wetware.

'Wetware'...what a word. I suppose 'Meatbag' would work too, eh? Us being in the Matrix n' all... ;P

If it does go to wetware, I envision it being more of artificial cells doing neural net type stuff rather than humans brains.However, I also expect in my lifetime to have computer chips implantable in the skull so as to get direct brain to electronic information access.

tomigun wrote on Mar 9, 2012, 04:07:about time I posted , reader for 10years+

I was genuinly excited about a steam box, if marketed correctly would open up PC gaming to a much larger audience, I guess it could become an elite type of console .Fantastic for the Living room with steam TV and as someone mentioned imagine if it came preloaded with 1-2tb of games waiting to be unlocked, that's alot of bandwith about $2000 worth in some countries.And finally developers optimising for highish end PC Hardwareperfect!! one can but dream......

Mashiki Amiketo wrote on Mar 8, 2012, 21:57:That's okay, by the time they release this...we'll be using quantum computers and optronic hardware wired in by wetware.

'Wetware'...what a word. I suppose 'Meatbag' would work too, eh? Us being in the Matrix n' all...

=-Rigs-=

'Who am I?...I am the right hand of vengeance and the boot that is going to kick your sorry ass all the way back to Earth, sweetheart! I am death incarnate, and the last living thing that you are EVER going to see. GOD sent me.'

The Half Elf wrote on Mar 8, 2012, 20:44:Thing is they aren't shipping hardware, or producing hardware if they just go to say Dell or whatnot and had them build a specific hardware setup and then advertise it as a 'Steam Box' right?

From the link...

UPDATE: Some readers speculated that Lombardi was dancing around the possibility that Valve might be partnering with other hardware makes who would be shipping a possible Steambox. I double-checked with Lombardi. Whether we're talking about Valve making hardware or partnering with others, nothing like that is happening any time soon, he said.